LNG World Shipping

Shell to bunker Siem LNG car carriers in North America

Shell NA LNG and Shell Western LNG have signed a deal with Siem Car Carriers to supply LNG as marine fuel to two newbuildings that will export Volkswagen Group vehicles from Europe to North America, starting in 2019.

The two ships will be among the first LNG-fuelled car carriers when they enter service in 2019. They will also be the first such ships deployed on long-haul, intercontinental trades.

Shell will supply bunkers in northwest Europe, where it deploys the 6,500 mᶾ LNG bunker-supply ship Cardissa at Gate LNG terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, and at “a second supply point” in the US.

Both the LNG bunker-supply ships linked to Shell so far will operate out of Rotterdam, and the Siem contract will require at least one additional supply ship in the States. It is not clear whether Siem’s sailing schedules include Florida’s Port of Jacksonville, which will be home port to LNG bunker-supply barge the 2,200 mᶾ Clean Jacksonville, built to supply Tote’s dual-fuel container ships.

Shell has concluded LNG bunker-supply deals so far with:

Sovcomflot, for the first LNG-fuelled Aframaxes, in the Baltic and northern Europe.

Carnival, in northwest Europe and the Mediterranean for its LNG-fuelled cruise ships.

Shell general manager downstream LNG Lauran Wetemans announced at the launch of Cardissa that the company is looking ahead, to adding its fourth and fifth LNG bunker-supply vessels. The company may charter converted tonnage, rather than order purpose-built vessels.

Mr Wetemans welcomed the opportunity to collaborate further with Siem. “This agreement is an important development for Shell’s growing LNG-fuels business,” he said.